THE National Basketball League (NBL) resumed its action on Friday night, with fans treated to a cracking contest to start their weekend. This batch of games marks the eighth round of action for the 2021/22 season, with some exciting matches throughout this time. This trend continued, with Melbourne United taking on the New Zealand Breakers in what was an exciting clash at MyState Bank Arena. The match was played behind closed doors but was still able to entertain fans around the country, with the reigning premiers producing an impressive second half to take down a brave Breakers side.

In this article we take a look at some of the key stats from the match and how they shaped the result of the match in the end.

		Stats
28/65 (43%)		FG		34/69 (49%)
15/34 (44%)		2P		28/49 (57%)
13/31 (41%)		3P		6/20 (30%)
9/13 (69%)		FT		15/22 (68%)
25		REB		50
14		AST		11
6		STL		4
4		BLK		5
8		TO		13

The stats clearly show the areas in which Melbourne United were able to succeed, as they took the chocolates in plenty of the key categories. The victors shot more efficiently from the field, mainly inside the two-point line, where they made 13 more baskets than their opponents. They were ruthless inside the paint, punishing the lack of interior defence provided by the Breakers.

Another area in which United were able to dominate their opponents was in the rebounding battle. In one of the most one-sided results of the season, Melbourne were able to pull down double the amount of boards than the opposition side, as they created plenty of scoring opportunities for themselves. Much of this had to do with the impressive work of Jo Lual Acuil and Mason Peatling, both of whom dominated control of the glass for much of the match. They were able to combine for 25 rebounds as they successfully fought for ideal position.

The one area in which the Breakers were able to gain ascendancy over their opponents was in the three-point battle, with New Zealand making seven more shots from behind the arc than Melbourne United. Their reliance on the long range shot is reflective of the modern game, and while they were more deadly from distance, they were still significantly beaten in other areas.

Top Points Scorers:

United sharpshooter Goulding was able to lead all-comers with a 23-point performance. On a night where his side was struggling to hit from deep, the veteran was a calming presence, giving his team the confidence to rely on him for a bucket whenever needed. Lual Acuil has continued his strong season, as he keeps pushing his case for the NBL’s Most Improved Player for the 2021/22 season. The big man recorded an impressive double-double in yet another eye-catching performance. Martin and Siva led the way for the Breakers, but did not receive enough help to produce a winning score.